Find private school rankings below for Ottawa and the National Capital Region. Use these lists to find schools that match your biggest concerns, as a springboard to discover what will really be the best school for your child(ren).
Explore the complete list of Ottawa private schools on OUR KIDS, the guide families trust to make the right choice.
The lists below are proffered with caution, though. Parents should use OUR KIDS' other tools and information for much richer insight. Those include our overview of Ottawa private schools, our advanced search (which filters for many specific concerns), and tools like our school comparison tool. Our advice guide covers different school options, types of schools, choosing a school, paying for school, and many other topics.
The Ottawa private school expo is a unique way for parents to meet school representatives and explore in-depth how a variety of schools can meet their specific needs. Sit in on informative Q&A information seminars led by education experts. They'll answer questions and give you clarity on vital topics when it comes to making the right school choice. Meet with admissions teams from each school and gain valuable insights from current parents who have experienced the journey firsthand. All in one afternoon. Click here for details and to RSVP.
We also have a separate list of Ottawa high school rankings.
Parents considering a private secondary school in Ottawa rightly want to know its university placement record. The list below ranks schools based on self-reported data about graduates' acceptance into 12 of the world's best universities (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Stanford, University of Chicago, Oxford, or Cambridge) over the last five years. Note: this list does not account for graduating class size—larger schools may place more students by volume. See individual school reports for placement in U.S. and other Canadian universities.
Granted, university placement is an important factor for parents, but it's still only one part of a school's overall character. Parents are encouraged to focus on finding the right fit for their child(ren).
| School | Location | Grades | Grads in Top US/UK Schools (5 yrs) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elmwood School | Ottawa, ON | PS to 12 | 16 |
| 2 | Lycée Claudel | Ottawa, ON | PS to 12 | 10 |
| 3 | Heritage Academy of Learning Excellence | Ottawa, ON | 1 to 12 | 4 |
| 4 | Académie St-Laurent Academy | Ottawa, ON | NS to 12 | 0 |
| 5 | Académie de la Capitale | Ottawa, ON | JK to 12 | 0 |
| 6 | Kanata Montessori | Kanata, ON | NS to 12 | 0 |
| 7 | Ashbury College | Ottawa, ON | 3 to 12 | |
| 8 | OMS Montessori | Ottawa, ON | NS to 6 | |
| 9 | Académie Internationale Westboro International Academy | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | |
| 10 | Turnbull School | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 |
Schools often have a low admission rate due to a strong focus on academics and a high number of applicants. Other factors that contribute to a low acceptance rate include the size of facilities, a focus on limiting class sizes, and others. In a general sense, though, this might be seen as an indication of how academically demanding a school is. Parents might also find this list helpful as it provides a quick snapshot of the child's chances of getting into some schools.
Here are Ottawa private schools ranked by their reported acceptance rates. Use this with caution:
| School | Location | Grades | Acceptance rate |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elmwood School | Ottawa, ON | PS to 12 | 70% |
| 2 | Ashbury College | Ottawa, ON | 3 to 12 | 70% |
| 3 | Kanata Montessori | Kanata, ON | NS to 12 | 70% |
| 4 | Heritage Academy of Learning Excellence | Ottawa, ON | 1 to 12 | 75% |
| 5 | Lycée Claudel | Ottawa, ON | PS to 12 | 75% |
| 6 | Turnbull School | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | 80% |
| 7 | Revel Academy | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | 80% |
| 8 | MindWare Academy | Ottawa, ON | 1 to 8 | 80% |
| 9 | Académie de la Capitale | Ottawa, ON | JK to 12 | 85% |
| 10 | Joan of Arc Academy | L'Academie Jeanne d'Arc | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | 85% |
Many parents seek out private education because smaller class sizes offer several advantages. Some private schools promise smaller average class sizes than others. For interest's sake, the list below ranks Ottawa private schools on this basis.
It's important to remember that this is only one aspect of a school's overall environment. Many other factors will affect your child's academic and personal growth. Focus on the whole school and the whole child when assessing a school's fit for your child(ren).
| School | Location | Grades | Avg. class size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R.I.S.E. Academy | Nepean, ON | 8 to 12 | 1 |
| 2 | Phoenix Private Academy | Ottawa, ON | K to 8 | 4 to 12 |
| 3 | March Academy | Kanata, ON | 1 to 8 | 6 to 10 |
| 4 | MindWare Academy | Ottawa, ON | 1 to 8 | 8 to 9 |
| 5 | Académie de la Capitale | Ottawa, ON | JK to 12 | 8 to 12 |
| 6 | Heritage Academy of Learning Excellence | Ottawa, ON | 1 to 12 | 8 to 14 |
| 7 | Academie Providence ✝ | Ottawa, ON | NS to 8 | 8 to 20 |
| 8 | Turnbull School | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | 10 to 18 |
| 9 | Fern Hill School - Ottawa | Ottawa, ON | PS to 8 | 10 to 19 |
| 10 | Académie St-Laurent Academy | Ottawa, ON | NS to 12 | 12 to 15 |
Athletic-minded students entering the higher grades may want to be in a school with a high number of varsity and intramural sports programs. Below, find a list of Ottawa private schools with the highest number of programs, offering the most competition for high school athletes.
| School | Location | Grades | Total sports programs |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Académie St-Laurent Academy | Ottawa, ON | NS to 12 | 45 |
| 2 | Académie Internationale Westboro International Academy | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | 36 |
| 3 | Heritage Academy of Learning Excellence | Ottawa, ON | 1 to 12 | 34 |
| 4 | Elmwood School | Ottawa, ON | PS to 12 | 33 |
| 5 | Lycée Claudel | Ottawa, ON | PS to 12 | 33 |
| 6 | Kanata Montessori | Kanata, ON | NS to 12 | 25 |
| 7 | Ashbury College | Ottawa, ON | 3 to 12 | 23 |
| 8 | Turnbull School | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | 19 |
| 9 | Bishop Hamilton Montessori School ✝ | Ottawa, ON | NS to 8 | 18 |
| 10 | Element High School | Ottawa, ON | 7 to 12 | 18 |
Parents often assume that higher tuition means a better school, but this view is simplistic. While more funding can mean better facilities and highly qualified staff, it doesn’t guarantee the right fit for your child. Many top Ottawa private schools offer excellent education at reasonable rates. For those interested, the list below offers a helpful starting point in comparing tuition costs. (Please note that this list may include boarding fees.)
| School | Location | Grades | Tuition | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashbury College | Ottawa, ON | 3 to 12 | $38,970 to $84,700 |
| 2 | Elmwood School | Ottawa, ON | PS to 12 | $18,800 to $37,650 |
| 3 | Phoenix Private Academy | Ottawa, ON | K to 8 | $24,000 to $29,500 |
| 4 | Académie de la Capitale | Ottawa, ON | JK to 12 | $23,285 to $26,920 |
| 5 | Turnbull School | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | $23,550 to $25,950 |
| 6 | Element High School | Ottawa, ON | 7 to 12 | $18,810 to $21,905 |
| 7 | OMS Montessori | Ottawa, ON | NS to 6 | $12,864 to $21,384 |
| 8 | Académie St-Laurent Academy | Ottawa, ON | NS to 12 | $13,000 to $21,000 |
| 9 | Heritage Academy of Learning Excellence | Ottawa, ON | 1 to 12 | $18,000 to $20,000 |
| 10 | Joan of Arc Academy | L'Academie Jeanne d'Arc | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | $19,800 |
Below, we list Ottawa’s oldest private schools. A school with a long history may seem appealing to some parents, considering this an indication of prestige. We urge you to go beyond superficial factors like this when searching for the best school for your child(ren).
| School | Location | Grades | Founded | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashbury College | Ottawa, ON | 3 to 12 | 1891 |
| 2 | Elmwood School | Ottawa, ON | PS to 12 | 1915 |
| 3 | Joan of Arc Academy | L'Academie Jeanne d'Arc | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | 1954 |
| 4 | Lycée Claudel | Ottawa, ON | PS to 12 | 1962 |
| 5 | OMS Montessori | Ottawa, ON | NS to 6 | 1966 |
| 6 | Kanata Montessori | Kanata, ON | NS to 12 | 1974 |
| 7 | Bishop Hamilton Montessori School ✝ | Ottawa, ON | NS to 8 | 1983 |
| 8 | Heritage Academy of Learning Excellence | Ottawa, ON | 1 to 12 | 1989 |
| 9 | Turnbull School | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | 1992 |
| 10 | Académie Internationale Westboro International Academy | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | 1993 |
Below, find a list of Ottawa schools that have produced the most notable alumni. In this case, a notable alumni is determined by whether someone has been granted a page on Wikipedia. That’s a credible yet simplistic indicator of influence and value contributed to society. In any case, we urge parents to go well beyond this and other ranking factors when deciding on the best school for your child(ren).
| School | Location | Grades | Notable alumni |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashbury College | Ottawa, ON | 3 to 12 | 7 |
| 2 | Elmwood School | Ottawa, ON | PS to 12 | 2 |
| 3 | OMS Montessori | Ottawa, ON | NS to 6 | 1 |
| School | Location | Grades | Tuition | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bishop Hamilton Montessori School ✝ | Ottawa, ON | NS to 8 | $4,620 to $19,495 |
| 2 | Fern Hill School - Ottawa | Ottawa, ON | PS to 8 | $11,000 to $15,200 |
| 3 | Lycée Claudel | Ottawa, ON | PS to 12 | $12,376 to $14,527 |
| 4 | Académie St-Laurent Academy | Ottawa, ON | NS to 12 | $13,000 to $21,000 |
| 5 | OMS Montessori | Ottawa, ON | NS to 6 | $14,664 to $21,384 |
| 6 | Revel Academy | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | $15,250 |
| 7 | March Academy | Kanata, ON | 1 to 8 | $16,000 |
| 8 | Académie Internationale Westboro International Academy | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | $17,500 |
| 9 | MindWare Academy | Ottawa, ON | 1 to 8 | $18,000 |
| 10 | Heritage Academy of Learning Excellence | Ottawa, ON | 1 to 12 | $18,000 to $19,680 |
| School | Location | Grades | Students | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Academie Providence ✝ | Ottawa, ON | NS to 8 | 35% |
| 2 | Elmwood School | Ottawa, ON | PS to 12 | 24% |
| 3 | Ashbury College | Ottawa, ON | 3 to 12 | 10% |
| 4 | OMS Montessori | Ottawa, ON | NS to 6 | 10% |
| 5 | Revel Academy | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | 2% |
| 6 | Académie de la Capitale | Ottawa, ON | JK to 12 | 2% |
| 7 | Phoenix Private Academy | Ottawa, ON | K to 8 | 0% |
| 8 | March Academy | Kanata, ON | 1 to 8 | 0% |
| 9 | MindWare Academy | Ottawa, ON | 1 to 8 | 0% |
| 10 | Lycée Claudel | Ottawa, ON | PS to 12 | 0% |
| School | Location | Grades | Enrollment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lycée Claudel | Ottawa, ON | PS to 12 | 980 |
| 2 | Ashbury College | Ottawa, ON | 3 to 12 | 750 |
| 3 | Académie St-Laurent Academy | Ottawa, ON | NS to 12 | 550 |
| 4 | Turnbull School | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | 425 |
| 5 | Kanata Montessori | Kanata, ON | NS to 12 | 386 |
| 6 | Elmwood School | Ottawa, ON | PS to 12 | 385 |
| 7 | OMS Montessori | Ottawa, ON | NS to 6 | 300 |
| 8 | Academie Providence ✝ | Ottawa, ON | NS to 8 | 270 |
| 9 | Bishop Hamilton Montessori School ✝ | Ottawa, ON | NS to 8 | 200 |
| 10 | Heritage Academy of Learning Excellence | Ottawa, ON | 1 to 12 | 170 |
| School | Location | Grades | Day enrollment avg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | March Academy | Kanata, ON | 1 to 8 | 4 |
| 2 | Académie de la Capitale | Ottawa, ON | JK to 12 | 4 |
| 3 | MindWare Academy | Ottawa, ON | 1 to 8 | 5 |
| 4 | Revel Academy | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | 5 |
| 5 | Phoenix Private Academy | Ottawa, ON | K to 8 | 6 |
| 6 | Joan of Arc Academy | L'Academie Jeanne d'Arc | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | 10 |
| 7 | Fern Hill School - Ottawa | Ottawa, ON | PS to 8 | 14 |
| 8 | Heritage Academy of Learning Excellence | Ottawa, ON | 1 to 12 | 14 |
| 9 | Académie Internationale Westboro International Academy | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | 15 |
| 10 | Bishop Hamilton Montessori School ✝ | Ottawa, ON | NS to 8 | 15 |
| School | Location | Grades | Enrollment avg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ashbury College | Ottawa, ON | 3 to 12 | 75 |
| 2 | Lycée Claudel | Ottawa, ON | PS to 12 | 61 |
| 3 | Turnbull School | Ottawa, ON | JK to 8 | 39 |
| 4 | Académie St-Laurent Academy | Ottawa, ON | NS to 12 | 32 |
| 5 | OMS Montessori | Ottawa, ON | NS to 6 | 27 |
| 6 | Elmwood School | Ottawa, ON | PS to 12 | 24 |
| 7 | Kanata Montessori | Kanata, ON | NS to 12 | 23 |
| 8 | Academie Providence ✝ | Ottawa, ON | NS to 8 | 21 |
| 9 | R.I.S.E. Academy | Nepean, ON | 8 to 12 | 20 |
| 10 | Element High School | Ottawa, ON | 7 to 12 | 17 |
Are Ottawa private schools good?
We interviewed both parents and students. You can read reviews about Ottawa private schools on this page.
What is the most expensive Ottawa private school?
Ashbury College has the highest tuition fees from $38,970 to $84,700 per year with an average tuition of $61,835 per year.
Which Ottawa private school has the lowest acceptance rates?
The Ottawa private school with the lowest acceptance rate is Elmwood School. The school has an overall accepance rate of 70%.
What is the oldest Ottawa private school?
Ashbury College is the oldest Ottawa private school. The school was founded in 1891.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
By logging in or creating an account, you agree to Our Kids' Terms and Conditions. Information presented on this page may be paid advertising provided by the advertisers [schools/camps/programs] and is not warranted or guaranteed by OurKids.net or its associated websites. By using this website, creating or logging into an Our Kids account, you agree to Our Kids' Terms and Conditions. Please also see our Privacy Policy. Our Kids ™ © 2023 All rights reserved.
